Cricket: SAfs leads through to win

A five days test match gets over in four. If you beat any test team within four days you better be good. If you beat them inside four days and with an innings and you better be comprehensive. South Africa, batted for two days and India for two, corollary to that is that we bowled for two days and we did for two. They scored double hundreds and hundreds (Amla and Kallis), our bowlers toiled and our fielders spilled chances. The Steyn gun fired on all barrels, claimed 10 wickets in the match. Sehwag and Tendulkar came up with consolatory centuries.

Ian Chapell had already remarked on thin on resources in bowling department. Bhajji well I don’t know if he would select himself for the next test, not convinced he is in any form to play any kind of cricket. Mishra ripped a few past the bat and would be lucky on some to get many more wickets on others days. Ishant Sharma tried his luck, Zaheer claimed wickets. I think fielding did us in. Amla batted and batted, though it wasn’t a chanceless innings, but to his credit he kept on riding his luck and scored heavily and a big partnership with Kallis saw SAfs batting India into submission.

Question that may be asked, if the presence of Dravid and Laxman could have changed the result? I don’t know. Steyn bowled his heart out, he knew what he was doing and he out manouvered, out paced and out smart the Indian batsmen with and awesome bowling. I wonder if Ishant watched Steyn closely. He could learn a lot. Ishant has the bounce and the pace to upset batsmen, a certain Ricky Ponting would testify.

SAfs, batting and Indian agony.

They kept on batting, Smith weary of batting last in the fourth innings, from 6-2 to 558 for 6. They batted for nearly two days. Amla made a massive 253 in a manner that will give a team a much consolidated position. They may have not accelerated at the end of the innings but Amla, was an embodiment of patience’s and gusto. He seems to be a man of limited means but boundless determination. Amla is likely to be placed in a similar bracket with the likes of Collingwoods and Chanderapauls of the world. He may not have a very attractive but they are so very effective. Amla kept on chipping away and kept Indian bowlers at bay. Kallis looked good till he lasted, but DeVilliers gave a move on and Boucher chipping in and Dumminy came and went. Kallis had controlled most of the first day but then didn’t go on to get a double, Amla kept his head down, something he shouldn’t do while standing in close on the leg side. It is amazing the innings we got to saw.

Steyn peppers India away

Steyn and Morne skittle India, once again underlining the face that subcontinent is not a graveyard for bowlers, you just need a different skill sets. Steyn just made it look so easy. He was so awesome to watch the ball started reversing, he just kept bending it back with speedometer clicking at above 85 mph, too good for anyone or at least most Indian batsmen. He was a treat to watch.


No wall and a loud fall.

Rahul Dravid may have not altered the result in anyway, but he could have had India showing more fight. They say all the five finger are not the same, like begets like and all that. Dravid absences was dearly felt, there was no partnership of any note. Dravid may not make it to the next series. Sehwag and Tendulkar did try to fight it out with good hundreds, but they were consolatory in the context. The fate of the match was pretty much decided before they could score their hundreds. It was matter of time. Indian batsman has to still to master the art of batting when it comes to batting out time. They failed to do so. The batsman had to show some fight.

How could they?

SAfs is one of the visiting team which have played uninhibited cricket, Harris claim the fame In second winnings, There bowling looked good and Indians have to now sort out the two aspects of the game, batting and bowling, there is a case of strengthening the batting order and look for attacking bowlers. I am still to get convinced of Bhajji to be in the squad. Ishant and Zaheer did ok, Mishra impressed. SAfs didn’t only come here to play. They came here to win and the onus to make this series exciting is on Dhoni & Co.